Box-strap seal



Dec. 23, 1930. 0, ws 1,786,151

BOX STRAP SEAL Filed Nov. 2, 1929 WITNESSES INVENTOR W J.

have long been in use.

time capable of firmly and Patented Dec. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS L. DAVIS, OF WARREN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO IBRA INARID STEEL CORPORATION, OF WARREN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO BOX-STRAP SEAL Application filed November 2, 1929. Serial No. 404,355.

This invention relates to a seal for securely joining the ends of metal straps or bands such as are employed as reinforcing means on wooden packing boxes and packages of that character, also in bundling and separating articles while in transit in freight cars, trucks, etc.

Seals similar in certain general respects They have been used chiefly in applying bands to comparatively small packing cases and for bundling small parts or commodities together for ease of handling. In the past year or two there have been material changes in methods of strapping, with the result that larger and stronger bands are required. In the steel industry, for example, it has come to be the practice to bundle sheet steel into piles or units weighing as much as ten tons. There have there fore arisen new problems in strap seals. The present invention is intended to solve some of these problems by providing a more rigid, stronger, and more dependable seal than those heretofore known.

The object of the invention generally stated is to provide a seal of this character which is of simple construction, inexpensive to make, and easy to apply, and at the same dependably holding the strap ends together without in any way weakening the straps. I

An object is to make such seals stronger and more certain than heretofore.

It is also an object to provide in such a seal for positively locking the strap ends against relative movement with respect to one another by placing them in a metal sleeve and upsetting portions of the opposite edges of both the sleeve and straps in such a way as to form cooperating interlocking indentations therein, and also cooperating interlocking laterally extending projections adjacent to said indentations whereby the straps and sleeve are firmly and positively held in rigid relation with one another.

These and other objects as well as the novel features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 is a rear view of a seal embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the opposite side of the seal; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the same; Fig. 4 is a section of the seal on an enlarged scale taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sleeve of the preceding figures.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference characters 1 and 2 designate the overlapping ends of a metal strap or band such as may be employed on a wooden packing box or package of that character. For joining the strap ends together when arranged in this fashion a metal sleeve 3 is employed, the sleeve being formed of a suitably strong, stiff piece of sheet metal, preferably having its edges preliminarily such a manner as to substantially enclose and form a tunnel-like opening, the dimensions of which are suflicient to permit the insertion therein of the two strap ends without difficulty.

It will be understood that the sleeve before application is illustrated in Fig. 5 in the form usually employed. For convenience in applying, however, the sleeve may be first formed in channel shape, one or both of the legs thereof being turned over to inclose the strap ends after locating the sleeve thereon. Such partially formed sleeves are old in the art and need not be described or illustrated. They are not per se a part of this invention.

To firmly lock the strap ends against movement with respect to one another after they have been arranged in the sleeve 3 in the positions in which it is desired to retain them, portions of the opposite edges of the sleeve and straps, such as those indicated by the numerals 4 and 5, are swaged inwardly toward the center of the straps. This swaging operation may be effected with any suitable blunt clamping tool, it being necessary only to perform it in such a way that the edges of the straps are upset in the manner illustrated in the cross section shown in Fig. 4 and the adjacent portion of the sleeve likewise bent to conform to the upset portion of the straps. In this way cooperating interlocking indentations are provided in the folded upon itself in 7 sleeve and strap edges, and due to the resulting flow of metal in the straps adjacent the indentations, outwardly extending shoulders 6 and 7 and cooperating interlocking deformed portions of the sleeve are also provided. The result is to firmly hold the strap ends and sleeve in rigid relation with one another. I

' This provides a seal which positively prevents the straps from being pulled apart without in any way reducing the cross sectional area of or weakening the straps. It also makes a joint which is as strong or stronger than the straps themselves, since the interlocking indentations and shoulders formed on the straps are positively restrained against movement by the metal walls of the sleeve engaging both sides and both edges of the straps, and the cross-sectional areas of the straps and seal are not reduced by theupsetq ting and bending operation. The metal is simply deformed and positively interlocked shoulders or projections extending from each side thereof, the portion of the sleeve adjacent to said upset portions of the strap edges being deformed to surround and contact with said shoulders, whereby the strap ends are positively held againstrelative movement therein.

3. The method of joining a pair of strap ends consisting of overlapping their ends and surrounding them with a metal sleeve adapted to engage their edges, and then upsetting, opposite portions of the combined edges of the straps and sleeve to provide interlocking indentations in the sleeve and straps and also oppositely extending lateral projections on the strap edges adapted to engage the walls of said indentations of the sleeve, whereby to hold the straps against relative movement in the sleeve.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

OTIS L. DAVIS.

by formation of abutting shoulders on the straps and seal. To release this lock the metal of the seal must be evenly displaced or torn.

Heretofore it has been the most common practice to make seals of this character by either crimping the seal sleeves or by cutting portions of its ends and the strap edges and displacing these portions up or down in such a Way as to lock the straps and sleeves against relative movement. In providin seals by such practice not only is the appIication of the seals rendered comparatively difficult, but the strength is also reduced, since the cross-sectional areas of the straps are re duced. These disadvantages are overcome by this invention.

' According to the provisions of the atent statutes, I have explained the princip e and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described. claim as my invention: 1. A strap seal comprising overlapped metal strap-ends and a sleeve embracing their edges, a portion of the edges of the straps being swaged inwardly to provide indentations therein and laterally displaced shoulders proectlng from each side thereof, the portion of the sleeve adjacent to said swaged portions of said strap edges being deformed to conform with the contour thereof, whereby the said shoulders are positively interlocked with the deformed portion of the sleeve.

2. A strap seal comprising overlapped metal strap-ends and a sleeve surrounding their edges, portions of the opposite edges of the straps being upset to provide inwardly extending indentations therein and lateral 

